Work characteristics and risk of obesity: preliminary findings from the 2014 National NIOSH Quality of Work Life study.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Govindarajulu U ; Joseph M ; Landsbergis P ; Myers S
• Description:
  Background: The adult obesity epidemic in the United States is a complex public health problem with many causal contributors, which may include working conditions. The Quality of Work Life (QWL) surveys were developed and conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 as part of General Social Survey. This study examined psychosocial job stressors, work schedules and socioeconomic status in relation to risk of obesity using 2014 QWL data. Methods: Eligibility criteria were participation in 2014 NIOSH QWL survey, English speaking, aged 18 years or older, and employed in civilian labor force for 20 or more hours/week. There were 1,420 QWL participants eligible for analysis. Associations between work characteristics and overweight/obesity categories (defined by CDC, 2015), adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, and job physical exertion, were examined using multinomial logistic regression. Results: After controlling for all potential confounders, night shift work (OR=2.22, 95% CI 1.09-4.55, p=.03) and "threatened or harassed on the job" (OR=1.67, 95% CI 1.01-2.79, p=.048) were associated with an increased risk of obesity. The obesity risk associated with blue-collar work was statistically significant (OR=2.60, 95% CI 1.06-6.36, p=.04), when not controlling for education. Conclusion: Evidence was found for association of some psychosocial job stressors and work schedule characteristics and risk of obesity in a nationally representative sample of US workers. Thus, a comprehensive approach to addressing workplace risk factors for obesity could play an important role in reducing the prevalence of obesity in the US. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Body Weight Cardiovascular Diseases Cardiovascular System Occupational Health Safety Shift Work Schedule Stress, Psychological Surveys And Questionnaires
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Obesity Obesity; Body Weight; Shift Work; Job Stress; Cardiovascular Disease; Quality Of Work Life; QWL; Psychosocial Factors; Questionnaires;
• Publisher:
  American Public Health Association
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; New York ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 8
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20065848
• Citation:
  Creating the Healthiest Nation: Ensuring the Right to Health: APHA 144th Annual Meeting and Exposition, October 29 - November 2, 2016, Denver, Colorado. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association, 2016 Nov; :363897
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• Performing Organization:
  Mount Sinai School of Medicine
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Creating the Healthiest Nation: Ensuring the Right to Health: APHA 144th Annual Meeting and Exposition, October 29 - November 2, 2016, Denver, Colorado
• End Date:
  20270630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:664d1858c323b1246c1cb769e861c2d4052dc71a6befa9ba0cf8e330a3f0716fab652936ba286b5025f5b6095f27b96161ed262ccacaaccbfb8759dd9bc31036
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/248738/cdc_248738_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 57.49 KB ]